SOUND OF LAWN MOWER AT MARBLE HILL POST OFFICE WELCOME

MARBLE HILL -- The sound of a lawn mower on Friday afternoon ended a brief standoff between the city of Marble Hill and the U.S. post office in this Bollinger County town.

Grass and weeds more than a foot tall surrounded the post office that is on Highway 34, the main street that runs through Marble Hill, said Marble Hill City Clerk Carolyn Surface.

The unkempt lawn was not only an embarrassment to the town but also a violation of city code, which states that it is unlawful to allow grass and weeds to grow more than 12 inches tall, Surface said.

City officials had talked to officials at the post office who said they had not yet signed a contract with a mowing service, Surface said. Getting no action from the verbal request, the city sent out an official notice of city code violation to the post office Tuesday.

Ron Gisi, officer in charge of the Marble Hill post office, said a contract with a mowing service was signed Friday.

"We had not been able to reach an agreement on the amount charged to mow the grass until today," Gisi said.

The mowers came in Friday afternoon, bringing the post office grounds into compliance with city code. "From now on we'll maintain the property in a presentable way," Gisi said.

Surface said she hopes so. "We will be happy if they maintain the grounds and show the pride in the facility that the city feels," Surface said.